South Stoke: Plans for 300 houses outside Bath to be decided

The council's planning policies state the 300 homes figure 'is not a cap' if all relevant principles are met

Plans to build almost 300 homes on fields on the southern edge of Bath could be decided next week.

Locals fear a "carmageddon" as new homes will rely on the same road, causing tailbacks around the Odd Down Park and Ride roundabout to worsen.

Highways officers said it could add a "two-minute delay" for motorists but this was not severe enough to turn down the plans.

Bath and North East Somerset Council planning officers recommended approval.

The council was to decide whether to grant planning permission for the Hignett Family Trust's plan to build 290 homes — of which 40% would be affordable housing — in November, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

The different phases of the Sulis Down development cover land to the south of Bath

Councillors said they did not have enough information about the impact it would have on local traffic and sent the plans back to developers.

A report commissioned by the Hignett Family Trust said the development could lead to a queue increase of up to a minute during morning rush hour.

South Stoke and Combe's Parish Councils commissioned an independent traffic assessment which said cars spent 40 times longer queueing than the Hignett Family Trust's modelling had predicted.

The planned 290 homes are the third and fourth "phases" of the Sulis Down development.

The whole site sits within the Cotswolds National Landscape (formerly known as "areas of outstanding natural beauty") and Bath's World Heritage Site, but the land is allocated as a strategic allocated site for 300 homes.

Chair of the South of Bath Alliance, Colin Webb said: 'I think they have to stop and think very hard at this planning meeting because they could be making a very bad decision'

The plans have been hugely controversial, with more than 1,200 people submitting objections on the council's planning portal in November.

Another 295 objections have been submitted and just four comments in support.

Bath and North East Somerset Council's planning committee is expected to decide whether to grant planning permission on 10 April.